'Dem obeah me!'
published: Wednesday | July 28, 2004
I AM WHAT I THINK
Wendel Abel
Mary's husband died. She could not sleep or eat. The sight of food made her feel bad. She was suffering from depression. Her friends told her that it was her husband's duppy. They thought that the duppy was 'riding her' and had taken away all her energy. Eventually she was taken to the doctor, put on medication and she started to do well.
OBEAH REFERS to magic, sorcery or witchcraft and involves the use of supernatural powers for protection or to cause harm to enemies. Myal involves the use of supernatural powers to produce healing or other benefits.
Obeah and myal have their roots in Africa and are widely practised in Jamaica, though banned in 1760.
Obeah is primarily used to cause harm and is done out of malice, envy or 'bad mind'. The obeah man is often asked to 'put a blow' or 'work' on someone to make them ill, experience undue hardship, bad luck, become mentally ill or, in extreme cases, die. Obeah may also be used to achieve success.
OIL OF SUCCESS
There are a number of persons who practise some of these activities. There is the traditional obeah man, the healer man or woman and the bush doctor. The spiritual mother or shepherd uses supernatural powers to achieve good. He or she is usually Christian-based and does not engage in evil acts. He uses his powers to heal, 'turn back' evil spells, assist with achieving success, passing examinations and mending relationships.
Walk into some drug stores downtown Kingston and you will be able to purchase a variety of 'oils'. These oils are chemicals, esters, that are sweet smelling without any real effect. One pharmacist told me that oils account for a significant part of sales. There are oils for success, oils to promote healing, oils to 'tie' someone into a relationship, oil to 'get rid of someone'. Other products include 'compellance powder', 'tan there oil' and 'oil of come back'. Baths, costing up to ,000, are an important part of these rituals and may be used to cast off evil spirits, to 'wash off' bad luck or promote success.
ILLNESS AND OBEAH
Many persons believe that many ailments are not due to natural causes but due to demon possession, spells or someone 'setting a blow' on them. These ailments include longstanding disorders such as cancers, leg ulcers, mental illness and disorders for which there may be no cures.
Why would someone want to cast obeah on another? According to one healer man, the reasons are many, mostly 'red eye' and 'bad mind'.
Those most likely to be 'obeahed' are children doing well in school, persons achieving successes such as job promotions, purchasing a car or a house.
My opinion, however, is that although obeah is widely practised in Jamaica, there is no basis for it. People experience personal tragedies every day and a lot of the associations made with someone's experience is both false and coincidental. Contrary to some belief, evil spirits, spells and obeah cannot cause illness. The reality is that there is a number of medical disorders for which there is no adequate treatment or cure. Many persons will turn to the supernatural out of desperation.
For many conditions with psychological bases such as anxiety disorder and depression, healing can take place by suggestion. This is similar to what we describe as 'the placebo effect' in which an individual with pain may get an injection of water and will feel better.
Before consulting an obeah man or a spiritual healer consult your doctor and have open and frank discussions. Many persons who believe in obeah or the supernatural fail to seek early treatment, do not comply with their treatment and as a result their condition may worsen or they might die. Be open and discuss your beliefs and your treatment with your doctor. Most health care providers are understanding and non-judgemental.
Dr. Wendel Abel is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer, University of the West Indies;
